Stolen Chair Theatre Company

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The Man Who Laughs Poster The Man Who Laughs has been nominated for 3 Drama Desk Awards: Outstanding Music in a Play (Eugene Ma), Outstanding Lighting Design (Daniel Winters), and Unique Theatrical Experience!

Thank you to everyone who helped make The Man Who Laughs a success! Thank you to our wonderful audience for coming to see the show (and welcome to all of our new fans)! Thanks to our IndieGoGo donors for putting us over our goal! Thanks to Margi and the Dapper Dots for setting the perfect 1920's mood! Thanks to Ben Model & John Towsen for participating in our panel discussion. Thanks to Katherine Walley, Sarah Brandenburg, and Nicole Montagna for making sure our cast & crew talkback was ASL-interpreted. Thanks to all the theater reviewers, bloggers, and reporters for covering the production. And thanks to our lovely cast and crew!

Enjoy our round-up of press for The Man Who Laughs:

New York Times' Andy Webster called The Man Who Laughs an "Ingenious simulation of silent film...impeccably cohesive."

Fern Siegel, Huffington Post deemed the production "A remarkable achievement...captivating ...inspired stagecraft. A triumph of stylized acting and directorial artistry."

Scott Brown, New York Magazine, recommends going on a date to this "Sumptuous...lovely, creepy little show."

Lisa Jo Sagolla, Backstage, calls the production "Heart-wounding...Extraordinarily clever...Rivetingly rendered."

Rebecca Bernard, Show Business Weekly, enjoyed the complete experience: "Magical... Breathtaking... The attention to detail and commitment of this production is phenomenal."

Tom Blunt of Random House's, Word & Film, highlights the crossroads of Film and Theater: "While "Les Miserables" would love nothing more than to hold our attention all the way through Oscar season, yet another Victor Hugo adaptation is stealthily having its moment....It's pure movie magic."

Ashley Griffin, TheaterOnline.com, deems The Man Who Laughs "a stunningly beautiful work of art," calling the writing "inspired," the direction "brilliant," the design "genius," the performances "breathtaking," exclaiming, "This is truly a not to be missed experience." Read the rest of the review here.

Mary Notari, NYTheatre.com, says the show "is a thrillingly executed, utterly captivating piece of physical theater [that] illustrates how essential live theater is and how the theater of clown can touch us in very real ways...Do not miss this show."

Victoria Teague, New York Theatre Review, likes the feel of silent film combined with the intimacy of theatre, "Gruesomely comedic...will delight and break your heart simultaneously."

Karen White, Arts & Leisure News, exclaims "Entertains and impresses."

Michael Block, Theatre in the Now, trumpets "Stolen Chair Theatre Company should be praised for their daring production that reminds us that theater can still be transformative and relevant."

Eleanor J. Bader, Theatre is Easy, proclaims, "Rife with pathos, melodrama, and occasional humor...So ingenious."

Jon Sobel, Blog Critics, says, this "delightful new production...created a bright, vivid world on a stage drained of color and voices, fashioning a truly unusual entertainment."

Charles Battersby, Theater for Nerds, urges Joker fans to learn the origin story: "Giggles are replaced by gasps as tragic events unfold."

John Townsen, All Fall Down, exclaims "It moves...Brilliant...Art is in the details, and here attention was devoted to every little moment."

W.M. Akers, Astor Place Riot, interviews director Jon Stancato and declares, "It is not a parody of the genre; it is not a museum piece. Instead, it is one of the loveliest bits of theater New York has seen this year."

Alix Cohen, Woman Around Town, declares, "It's a hoot...beautifully conjures the ethos of both era and medium, eliciting pathos and humor."

And check out more buzz about The Man Who Laughs:

Stolen Chair is Theatre is Easy's Featured Artist of the Month!

Jim Moore, VaudeVisuals, interviews our laughing man, Dave Droxler, and director Jon Stancato about each of their inspirations for creating the piece. Watch the interview here.

Go See a Show!, interviews Playwright Kiran Rikhye and director Jon Stancato. Listen to the interview here.

Playright Kiran Rikhye spoke with Works by Women about how the show was originally created and how language is developed for a “silent film” piece.

Martin Denton, of nytheatre.com & indietheaternow.com, is excited for the return of The Man Who Laughs, including it his preview of the upcoming theatre season in The Villager. On the original production, Denton wrote "This bona fide tour de force of theater has the real capacity to tug at something inside of us and make us feel in a raw, spontaneous and very essential way."

Playwright Kiran Rikhye & director Jon Stancato, each are People You Should Know! Read about what excites Kiran and Jon about creating The Man Who Laughs.

Go Backstage and read a profile of star Dave Droxler in, Actors Perform With No Words In 'The Man Who Laughs'.

Six live actors transport the audience to a movie house in 1923, when glamorous stars told larger-than-life stories without a single spoken word. Grab a bag of freshly popped popcorn, take a seat, and watch the hilarious and heartrending story of Gwynplaine, a clown whose face has been surgically disfigured into a permanent smile. Performing with his adoptive sister and father, Gwynplaine gains fame and a very modest fortune for his comic acts—and his comical face. Secretly he yearns to be more than a freak and a joke—but when his yearning leads him into the arms of a debauched duchess fascinated by grin, the results are disastrous for Gwynplaine and for his family.

Based on Victor Hugo’s novel The Man Who Laughs, the play is performed in the style of a silent film, complete with live piano accompaniment, projected title cards, and vibrant black-and-white sets, costumes and makeup. First performed to critical acclaim in 2005, THE MAN WHO LAUGHS transforms silent film into live action, taking us back to a time when performers didn’t need to speak to pull on our heart strings and tickle our funny bones.

Written by Kiran Rikhye | Directed by Jon Stancato | Dramaturgy by Emily Otto | Music by Eugene Ma | Set Design by Michael Minahan | Costume Design by Julie Schworm | Lighting Design by Daniel Winters | Props & Graphic Design by Aviva Meyer | Makeup by Jaclyn Schaefer with Stephanie Cox-Williams | Stage Management by Colin Miller | Featuring Raife Baker, Dave Droxler, Jon Froehlich, Molly O'Neill, Noah Schultz and Rebecca Whitehurst

Photos byCarrie Leonard, 2013
(Click here if the gallery does not appear)

We're working hard to make sure that The Man Who Laughs has a future. Find out news about The Man Who Laughs and other productions by following Stolen Chair on Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook.

For press inquiries on The Man Who Laughs please contact Emily Owens PR.

Press for The Man Who Laughs

Press release announcing 2013 production

Check out what the New York Times called "Ingenious simulation of silent film... impeccably cohesive", and the Huffington Post called "A remarkable achievement... captivating...inspired stagecraft. A triumph of stylized acting and directorial artistry."

Scott Brown, New York Magazine, recommends going on a date to this "Sumptuous...lovely, creepy little show."

Lisa Jo Sagolla, Backstage, calls the production "Heart-wounding...Extraordinarily clever...Rivetingly rendered."

Rebecca Bernard, Show Business Weekly, enjoyed the complete experience: "Magical... Breathtaking... The attention to detail and commitment of this production is phenomenal."

Victoria Teague, New York Theatre Review, likes the feel of silent film combined with the intimacy of theatre, "Gruesomely comedic...will delight and break your heart simultaneously."

Karen White, Arts & Leisure News, exclaims "Entertains and impresses."

Eleanor J. Bader, Theatre is Easy, proclaims, "Rife with pathos, melodrama, and occasional humor...So ingenious."

Jon Sobel, Blog Critics, says, this "delightful new production...created a bright, vivid world on a stage drained of color and voices, fashioning a truly unusual entertainment."

Charles Battersby, Theater for Nerds, urges Joker fans to learn the origin story: "Giggles are replaced by gasps as tragic events unfold."

John Townsen, All Fall Down, exclaims "It moves...Brilliant...Art is in the details, and here attention was devoted to every little moment."

Alix Cohen, Woman Around Town, declares, "It's a hoot...beautifully conjures the ethos of both era and medium, eliciting pathos and humor."

And check out more buzz about The Man Who Laughs:

Stolen Chair is Theatre is Easy's Featured Artist of the Month!

Jim Moore, VaudeVisuals, interviews our laughing man, Dave Droxler, and director Jon Stancato about each of their inspirations for creating the piece. Watch the interview here.

Playright Kiran Rikhye spoke with Works by Women about how the show was originally created and how language is developed for a “silent film” piece.

Star Dave Droxler spoke to Backstage about performing with no words.

Trav S. D., author of Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube, anticipates tonight's opening, having called the 2005 original production "Utterly tremendous!

Playwright Kiran Rikhye & director Jon Stancato, each are People You Should Know! Read about what excites Kiran and Jon about creating The Man Who Laughs.

2005 Production Press

"Utterly tremendous!"

-Trav S.D.
Actor, Playwright, Author, and Critic

"By any measure...a triumph. Billed as a live silent film for the stage, that's precisely what it is: a faithful, loving recreation of an art that already seems ancient...

The folks at Stolen Chair tell the story with economy and affection in about ninety minutes. All of the accoutrements of the silent film are here: A dark translucent scrim stands between actors and audience, giving all the action a grainy sepia look that's spot-on. Titles—on transparent cards; there's no high-tech PowerPoint presentation here to jostle us into the 21st century—are projected on the scrim, providing narration and dialogue as required. (They're written by scenarist Kiran Rikhye, who has done a skillful job.) A live soundtrack is played by pianist Emily Otto, stationed just to the front left of the screen; next to her, Aviva Meyer takes care of the sound effects. From somewhere in the back of the theatre is a sound of a film projector—a really lovely touch.

The action, delivered (astonishingly!) by just six actors, is performed in the heightened expressive style of silent movies. The performances are splendidly stylized. Director Jon Stancato maintains consistency of tone, pace, and approach throughout with remarkable acuity. Jennifer Wren, as Dea, is the standout: in her long blonde curls, she's channeling Gish and Pickford in a portrayal of pure and unfettered innocence that comments on itself without seeming reflexive or ironical...

Jon Cambpell, as Gwynplaine, is nearly as impressive, in a wrenching performance of the tragic hero...this is a fearless and dedicated actor sacrificing for his art.

Alexia Vernon is suitably malevolent as the Duchess, while Cameron Oro is, until the final scenes, mostly comic relief as her languid lover Lord Dirry Moir. Rounding out the company are Dennis Wit, invaluable as Ursus, and Ariana Seigel as the young Gwynplaine. One of the many amazing things that Stancato and his collaborators accomplish is the illusion of crowds and minor characters, bolstering the scenario though always unseen.

Otto's accompaniment, which (she confided in a talkback after the performance) is mostly improvised, feels entirely authentic. The sound effects are used sparingly, and provide some neat surprises.

But nothing surprised me more than the fact that, not only was I bowled over by the precision and commitment that brought together this bona fide tour de force of theatre, but also that I enjoyed it so much on its own terms. The journey back in time that we take in The Man Who Laughs is neither academic exercise or gimmicky theme park ride—it's a genuine immersion in a kind of storytelling that, for all its apparent hokeyness and naiveté, has the real capacity to tug at something inside of us and make us feel in a raw, spontaneous, and very essential way. Bravo."

-Martin Denton
NYtheatre.com

"[It] works, and it works to convey an interesting and captivating story. It reminded me that theatre can be fun."

-James Comtois, Top 10 Shows of 2005

Interview: Director Jon Stancato, w/NYtheatre.com's Rochelle Denton on style vs. story in Stolen Chair's work.

Interview: Playwright Kiran Rikhye, w/New York Theatre Experience's Michael Criscuolo , on the origin of the company and of the work.

Full text published in Playing with Canons.

Excerpted from Scene 4 of The Man Who Laughs
Copyright ©2005, Kiran H. Rikhye. All rights reserved.

1. Intertitle

Nineteen years later…

2. Lights up on Ursus, Gwynplaine, and Dea asleep--Dea sleeps on the bed (head stage left, feet stage right). Gwynplaine sleeps on the floor (head right, feet left) beneath her. Ursus still on the chair.

Ursus has a handkerchief on his face. Inhales it slightly with each breath.

Inhales too much and wakes himself up.

Sits straight up in his chair. Shakes his head.

Stands.

Stretches.

Looks upstage. Is shocked to see that Gwynplaine and Dea are still there.

Ursus is disgusted by them.

3. Intertitle

“If only I had found a way to get rid of them…”

4. Ursus urges his children to get up.

They don’t hear him.

Ursus crosses to Dea and Gwynplaine.

5. Ursus: “Up and at ‘em.”

6. Gwynplaine and Dea keep sleeping.

Ursus yells louder.

They keep sleeping.

Ursus screams.

7. Ursus: “GET UP!”

8. Gwynplaine and Dea keep sleeping.

Ursus shakes them.

Gwynplaine and Dea wake up. Yawn. Stretch laterally.

Gwynplaine props himself up on his left arm and yawns.

9. Ursus: “Good morning!”

10. Ursus takes Dea’s face in his hands.

11. Ursus: “How’s my little princess?”

12. Intertitle

“Good morning, Dea! How’s my little princess?”

13. Ursus coos at Dea. Stop. Looks at her.

15. Intertitle

“Your hair is a mess.”

16. Ursus hands Dea a comb.

Ursus kicks Gwynplaine’s arm.

Gwynplaine falls.

17. Intertitle

“Gwynplaine! Get up and practice your juggling.”

18. Ursus urges them to get up.

19. Ursus: “We’ve got a big day.”

20. Intertitle

“Idiots! Have you forgotten that today is the Southwark Fair?”

21. Ursus: “Hurry up and let’s go!”

22. Ursus pats Dea roughly on the shoulder.

Exits upstage.

Gwynplaine picks up his juggling balls. Begins practicing his juggling.

Dea picks up her hair brush. Crosses left, sits in the chair.

She begins to brush her hair.

Gwynplaine accidentally drops his juggling balls. Notices Dea.

Crosses to her. Stands behind her, slightly right.

Takes her brush in his hand.

Gwynplaine brushes Dea’s hair.

Dea’s shirt slips off her shoulder.

Gwynplaine stops brushing her hair.

Dea slides her shirt back up.

Gwynplaine returns to brushing her hair.

Dea’s shirt slips off her shoulder.

Gwynplaine stops brushing her hair. Reaches for her shirt.

Dea reaches for her shirt. Their hands meet.

Gwynplaine retracts his hand.

Dea slides her shirt back up.

Gwynplaine returns to brushing her hair.

Dea’s shirt slips off her shoulder.

Gwynplaine stops brushing her hair.

Gwynplaine reaches for her shirt.

Gwynplaine slides her shirt back up.

Kissses her clothed shoulder.

Dea turns her head right, placing her face close to Gwynplaine’s.

Gwynplaine slowly stands.

He returns to brushing her hair.

Dea pulls her dress/nightgown off her shoulder.

Gwynplaine looks at her exposed shoulder.

Dea waits.

Gwynplaine reaches for her naked shoulder. Pulls away. Put her brush back in her hands. Turns to exit. Crosses back to the bed to get his scarf. Wraps his face. Exits upstage.

Dea brushes her hair.

23. Intertitle

Thus they began every morning…

24. Back to Dea brushing.

Smiles.

Keeps brushing her hair.

Blackout.

2005 Production Press

Production History

Press for The Man Who Laughs

Research